Scoop dock and use methods
In an assembly of a scoop and a closure, the scoop has a bowl and a handle. A closure has: a frame for mounting to a container body; and a cover hinged relative to the frame by a hinge. The scoop handle has at least one rib. The cover has an underside having a first projection and a second projection positioned to engage the scoop with the scoop in a docked position. The second projection is configured to capture the rib in the docked position.
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Benefit is claimed of U.S. Patent Application No. 62/352,232, filed Jun. 20, 2016, and entitled “Scoop Dock and Use Methods”, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety as if set forth at length.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to dispensing containers. More particularly, the invention relates to dispensing containers for powdered products.
Powdered product is sold in a variety of containers. One exemplary food product is infant formula. Other products include adult meal replacement mixes. Similar containers may be used for household or other chemicals such as powdered detergent, plant food, and so forth.
In recent decades, such products have been sold in containers along with a measuring scoop. In one basic example, the container is a metal can and the scoop is initially packed as loosely within the can. The can is typically sold along with a plastic snap-on cover which is used to close the can once the metal lid is removed (e.g., via can opener).
Such cans have largely been replaced by molded plastic jars with screw-on plastic closures (but also loosely containing a measuring scoop). More recently, dedicated containers have been proposed. In one example, US2006/000840 discloses a molded plastic container having a rounded rectangular planform. The lid includes features for mounting the scoop. The scoop has a round bowl of profile (e.g., radius selected to be complementary to a radius of corner junctions between the sidewall and the base of the container) so as to allow clean scooping of material from the bottom of the container. US2016/000270, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein as if set forth at length, discloses a circular footprint/planform container with scoop dock features on the lid underside.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONOne aspect of the disclosure involves an assembly of a scoop and a closure. The scoop has a bowl and a handle. A closure has: a frame for mounting to a container body; and a cover hinged relative to the frame by a hinge. The scoop handle has at least one rib. The cover has an underside having a first projection and a second projection positioned to engage the scoop with the scoop in a docked position. The second projection is configured to capture the rib in the docked position.
Further embodiments may involve any physically possible combination of the claim elements or other disclosed features below.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. Various of the drawings include artifacts of computer aided design (CAD) such as stitching lines which may be unseen in the actual container but help illustrate shape.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONThe closure 24 comprises a base or frame 26 mounted to the can and a lid/cover 28 (an outer lid/cover as is discussed below) connected to the frame by a living hinge 29. The exemplary frame, cover and hinge are unitarily-molded as a single piece (e.g., injection molded polypropylene or other plastic). A two-shot molding process allows the frame and cover to be different colors from each other, if desired. A latch (not shown) may be formed on the lid and frame (e.g., including a latch feature of the frame and a latch feature) of the cover.
The exemplary body has a base formed by a metallic bottom 40, and a sidewall 42 extending upward from the base to a top 44. The exemplary bottom and top include respective perimeter crimps 43, 45 (
The frame planform is complementary to the planform of the body to which it mates (e.g., the can top crimp 45 in the example). To establish a frame of reference, the hinge 29 is formed at a rear of the frame. The exemplary frame has a downwardly open channel cross-section for receiving an upper portion of the container (e.g., receiving the top crimp 45).
The frame 26 (
The frame has features for securing the frame to the body. With the exemplary channel-like section, these features may comprise radially-inwardly protruding projections 66 on the inboard or inner diameter (ID) surface 68 of the outer sidewall. In the installed condition, such projections may be captured by an underside 70 (
The cover 28 (
The projection 200 is to an opposite side of the handle from the projections 186 and 202. The projection 200 serves to hold the scoop vertically in its docked condition. To do this, the projection 200 has a surface 210 positioned to capture a portion of the handle.
The release the scoop, the user may flex the distal portion 218 of the main wall 216 (e.g., via a thumb actuation). This may be effective to shift the shoulder 212 underside 210 out of engagement with the rib allowing the scoop to pop slightly away from the underside. Release of the flexing pressure will allow the scoop to ride up along the surface 250 to eject from the docked condition.
The can or other container may be manufactured/filled by conventional processes.
The exemplary closure as shown consists of two molded pieces plastic. The first piece forms the frame and cover or lid (outer cover or lid) including their living hinge and the latching features. The second piece forms the scoop.
In one exemplary process, with the first piece in its as-molded (open) condition, the second piece is installed by a translation to dock the scoop.
The cover may then be closed and detented or latched in that condition.
Accordingly, this process leaves the scoop assembled to the closure ready for installation to the container body. Alternatively, the cover may first be closed from the as-molded (open) condition and then the scoop attached.
An exemplary securing to the container body comprises downwardly pressing the closure onto the body so that the projections 66 pass over and ultimately capture the top crimp. An overwrap and other tamper-evident feature may then be applied. Additionally, the closure itself may have been manufactured with one or more tamper-evident features (not shown).
In use, the user may remove any shrink seal, break any tamper-evident feature, and then unlatch the latch (if any) and rotate the cover to an open condition (e.g., to or toward the as-molded condition). The user may then remove the scoop.
At first use, the user may open the can pull tab or remove a safety foil or the like. The user may then use the scoop to scoop the contents. The scoop may then be reinstalled to the dock. The cover may then be closed.
One or more embodiments of the present invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, when implemented in the modification of an existing container configuration, details of the existing configuration or its use may influence details of any particular implementation. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. A closure and scoop assembly comprising: wherein:
- a scoop comprising a bowl and a handle, the handle including a rib; and
- a closure comprising: a frame for mounting to a container body; and a cover hinged relative to the frame by a hinge and having: an underside; a first projection positioned to engage the scoop in a docked condition; and a second projection positioned to engage the scoop handle in the docked condition and having a surface positioned in a locking condition to retain the scoop against the underside in the docked condition, the second projection flexible to an unlocking condition allowing release of the scoop,
- the second projection has: a pair of end walls; and a main wall, wherein: said surface is along a face of the main wall; said end walls protrude opposite said face; and a distal portion of said main wall protrudes distally of the surface to allow user thumb access.
2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:
- the cover underside has a concave ended projection accommodating a convex surface of the scoop bowl in the docked condition.
3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:
- the cover underside has a third projection positioned to at least partially block an opening of the scoop bowl in the docked condition.
4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:
- the first projection is positioned to contact the handle in the docked condition; and
- the second projection is positioned to contact the handle proximally of the first projection in the docked condition.
5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:
- the first projection has a T-shaped cross-section.
6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein:
- the first projection has: a leg of the T-shaped cross-section positioned to contact the handle in the docked condition and extending to the cover underside.
7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:
- said surface of the second projection is an underside of a shoulder between a proximal portion of the main wall and said distal portion of the main wall.
8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:
- said surface of the second projection is an underside of a shoulder between a proximal portion of the second projection and a distal portion of second projection.
9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:
- the hinge is a living hinge.
10. A container comprising the assembly of claim 1 and further comprising:
- a container body to which the frame is mated; and
- product contained within the container body.
11. The container of claim 10 wherein:
- the container body is a can.
12. A method for using the container of claim 10, the method comprising:
- shifting the cover from a closed condition to an open condition;
- removing the scoop from the scoop dock; and
- scooping the product from the container body.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein:
- the removing of the scoop comprises pressing the second projection by a user's finger.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein:
- the pressing unlatches the scoop.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
- reinstalling the scoop to the scoop dock; and
- returning the cover to its closed condition.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein:
- the reinstalling of the scoop comprises a camming interaction with the second projection.
17. A method for using a container, the container comprising: the method comprising:
- a container body;
- product contained within the container body; and
- a closure and scoop assembly comprising: a scoop comprising a bowl and a handle, the handle including a rib; and a closure comprising: a frame mounted to the container body; and a cover hinged relative to the frame by a hinge and having: an underside; a first projection positioned to engage the scoop in a docked condition; and a second projection positioned to engage the scoop handle in the docked condition and having a surface positioned in a locking condition to retain the scoop against the underside in the docked condition, the second projection flexible to an unlocking condition allowing release of the scoop,
- shifting the cover from a closed condition to an open condition;
- removing the scoop from the scoop dock, the removing of the scoop comprising pressing the second projection by a user's finger; and
- scooping the product from the container body.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein:
- the pressing unlatches the scoop.
19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:
- reinstalling the scoop to the scoop dock; and
- returning the cover to its closed condition.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein:
- the reinstalling of the scoop comprises a camming interaction with the second projection.
21. A closure and scoop assembly comprising: wherein:
- a scoop comprising a bowl and a handle, the handle including a rib; and
- a closure comprising: a frame for mounting to a container body; and a cover hinged relative to the frame by a hinge and having: an underside; a first projection positioned to engage the scoop in a docked condition; and a second projection positioned to engage the scoop handle in the docked condition and having a surface positioned in a locking condition to retain the scoop against the underside in the docked condition, the second projection flexible to an unlocking condition allowing release of the scoop,
- the second projection has: a pair of end walls; and a main wall;
- a proximal portion of the main wall merges with respective proximal portions of the end walls; and
- a distal portion of the main wall is separated by respective gaps from distal portions of the end walls.
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20080156806 | July 3, 2008 | Perry |
20140151389 | June 5, 2014 | Melia |
20160000270 | January 7, 2016 | Wiggins et al. |
WO-2011081677 | July 2011 | WO |
Type: Grant
Filed: Jun 16, 2017
Date of Patent: Oct 8, 2019
Assignee: Plastek Industries, Inc. (Erie, PA)
Inventor: H Stephen Quinn (Eau Claire, WI)
Primary Examiner: James N Smalley
Application Number: 15/625,236
International Classification: B65D 51/24 (20060101); B65D 43/16 (20060101); B65D 17/28 (20060101);